The Bell Hotel

THORPE-LE-SOKEN HIGH STREET TM 1622-1722 (south-west side) 8/93 The Bell Hotel, 29.4.52 formerly listed as Bell Inn

GV II*

Guildhall or church house, now an hotel. Circa 1500, extended in mid-C16, C18 and C20. Timber framed, partly plastered, partly clad with red brick in Flemish bond, roofed with handmade red clay tiles, red clay 'Roman' tiles and some slate. Main range of 5 bays originally facing SW (towards the churchyard), with an axial stack one bay from the SE end, of 2 storeys. Near the NW end a taller wing of 2 storeys with attics extends towards the High Street, with an internal stack at the junction, mid-C16. C18 parallel wing in N angle, of 2 storeys. 3 C20 lean-to extensions and one C20 flat-roofed extension, all single-storey, to NE of main range. The High Street elevation has scattered fenestration, mainly C20, including one C18 splayed bay of sashes of 12 lights on the NE wing. C19 flush 4-panel door in left return of this wing, with moulded architrave, flat canopy on scrolled brackets, and 5 stone steps with wrought iron handrails and twisted square balusters. This wing is jettied, with a carved bressumer (much weathered) and an overhanging gable with carved bressumer. The elevation facing the churchyard has an underbuilt full-length jetty, now faced with red brick in Flemish bond; much of this pitch of the roof has 'Roman' tiles; the higher roof of the NE wing forms a gablet above. Jowled posts, close studding with curved tension braces trenched to the inside, edge-halved and bridled scarfs in wallplates. Square rebates for shutters in wallplate facing churchyard. In the SE part of the main range, moulded beams andd hollow-chamfered joists of horizontal section; at the NW end, chamfered beams, plain joists, and blocked stair-trap, suggesting that this is the original service/entrance end. Tiebeams and storey posts chamfered with mitred stops. Roof ceiled. In the NE wing the first floor is exceptionally high, the beams richly carved with spiral-leaf ornament, with plain and roll stops, the joists of square section with roll mouldings and square stops. RCHM 2. The money-raising 'ales' mentioned in an inscription in the parish church (item 8/93, q.v.) probably refer to the use of this building. Lands formerly belonging to the guild of St. Margaret are mentioned frequently in court rolls of the later C16, and a shop in 'le Townehowse' is mentioned in 1564 (E.A. Wood, A History of Thorpe-le-Soken to the year 1890, 1975, 27, 36, 46).

Listing NGR: TM1796822310